The same week, two solar car projects are faced with important decisions for their future. This is enough to raise ever more doubts about the viability of these developments.
Using water, air or the sun as inexhaustible and free sources of energy has always inspired inventors over the centuries. However, taming these elements, to make them a viable mobility solution, is far from being so obvious. The two European projects that have launched themselves in the niche of the electric car covered with solar panels, Lightyear and Sono Motors, are facing difficulties at the start of 2023. A situation that encourages them to review their development strategy.
Going from prototype and beautiful promises to production is a much more difficult task than expected. Moreover, of the many startups that have wanted to enter the electric car market over the past 5 years, many are faced with these same financing difficulties. For example, Byton or Faraday Future, to speak of those that could be announced as “Tesla Killers”. Rare are those who, like Rivian, Lucid or Fisker, have managed to pass the delivery stage of their models despite numerous difficulties.
Sono Motors continues fundraising appeals
Sono Motors’ Sion project is an affordable family electric car (less than €30,000) covered in photovoltaic cells. Behind a promise of a vehicle that can drive several tens of kilometers per week for free thanks to the sun, the company is struggling to convince investors. However, they are necessary to be able to start the production phase with the minimum funds required.
While waiting to find solid investors, Sono Motors launched a crowdfunding campaign named #SaveSION in December 2022 to raise more than 100 million euros from individuals. As the campaign drew to a close on January 26, Sono Motors hadn’t even reached 50% of the set target. The founders made the decision to extend the crowdfunding campaign until February 28, in hopes of raising the necessary funds, the equivalent of 3,500 fully paid Sion.
Sono Motors has already on several occasions appealed to the goodwill of individuals and the first supporters of the project. It cannot be said that the brand does not arouse the interest of the public. She still managed to get reservations for 44,000 cars. Nevertheless, the road is still long and the company spends lavishly to continue the development of the product and its communication. Even if the company reached its fundraising goal and completed development of the vehicle, more funds would quickly be needed to produce the vehicles, deliver them and provide after-sales service. Suffice to say that the horizon still seems very gray for the project.
The top-of-the-range Lightyear 0 model discontinued in favor of the Lightyear 2
Unlike Sono Motors, Lightyear has succeeded in convincing investors, but its change in strategy at the start of 2023 could still raise questions.
With its first concept, then its first Lightyear 0 vehicle, the brand made known its ambitions and its large-scale project. By wanting to market its first solar vehicle on a very high-end positioning, at more than €250,000 for only 1,000 copies, the project was probably a little too ambitious for a vehicle, which would have struggled to convince by its performance.
Lightyear has therefore just announced on January 24 that it abandoned this first model, Lightyear 0, to concentrate on the development of its second project, Lightyear 2. This model with more modest ambitions, but above all at a much more attractive price of €40,000, has already received close to 60,000 reservations. It promises up to 800 km of autonomy, part of which is achieved thanks to the solar panels installed on the vehicle.
The change may seem prudent on paper. However, the problem of profitability will quickly arise. An affordable model will appeal to buyers, but the low margins often achieved by these products do not always allow a car manufacturer to survive. Tesla is also a very good example in this regard. If the American manufacturer had not started with high-end models, it probably would not have been able to meet the demand for more accessible models demanded by the general public. Lightyear, by deciding to focus on a high-performance but affordable model, takes a financial risk, which may pay off or, on the contrary, lead the project to failure.
If your battery is empty, sun or not, you will not advance
These two brands, and others, speak of solar cars, but this name is ultimately distorted. It is an element of language that is more a marketing argument than reality. These are primarily electric vehicles with small battery capacities with solar-powered extenders. The solar panels, depending on the geographical area, the season and the places of circulation, are there as a more or less significant energy supplement.
If the speech claiming that these models can cover the weekly needs of customers, with free solar energy, is sometimes true, the system is still more akin to a hybrid engine. If your battery is empty, sun or not, you will not advance. With an empty electric battery, according to Challengesneither of these models can produce enough current in direct sunlight to make the vehicle move.
Some car manufacturers are already integrating solar as an energy supplement for their vehicle. Toyota has already been offering this solution for several years on the rechargeable Prius, Fisker is also integrating it on its Ocean electric SUV. These models incorporate far fewer photovoltaic cells than the Sono Motors or Lightyear projects. It would take surfaces much larger than cars to really be able to drive concretely on solar power, unless you only drive in the Australian Outback under a blazing sun.
Is the solar car a utopia in Europe?
In the current state of technological developments, there is no doubt that promoting solar-powered mobility is a utopia, or at least an unreliable marketing promise. The slightest gray area would lower the yields of a solar-based model. Imagine driving around town in these conditions.
However, it is interesting that companies want to compensate for a smaller electric battery by adding solar panels to an electric car. However, it is wrong to believe that we can cover the traffic needs of a car only through solar energy.
To drive more concretely with solar energy, it is better to have a home equipped with efficient solar panels which are used to recharge your electric car on a daily basis.
